Time's are tough, and you need to cut back, but how do you start?

Three local moms began making little changes and have been saving hundreds of dollars ever since.

"Start small, find out how much you're spending on your groceries, and toiletries and paper products now currently. For us, it was around 200 to 250 dollars per week it was incredible!" says Stephanie Avello, a mom of three who saves money by couponing.

Another way to save money is to make a meal plan. One trip to the grocery store a week saves gas money, not to mention time deciding what to cook each night.

"Look in your pantry, what's in your freezer, then you want to look at what's on sale that week at the store, what deals you can combine coupons with, and you make your meal plan from a combination of those two things," says Sarah Maxwell, a mother of two who makes a meal plan each week.

For one mom, using coupons allows her to buy in bulk, so she has items on hand when she needs them.

"Stockpiling is buying in abundance when something is on sale. You stockpile your freezer, you stockpile your refrigerator, you stockpile your pantry, you stockpile your kitchen and bathroom cabinets," says Ashley Nuzzo, a mom who stockpiles when she has coupons for certain items.

Nuzzo says with the money she saves stockpiling, she is able to give back to charity.

"I'm able to give more today because I bring home a lot more stuff for a lot less," adds Nuzzo.

And cutting back in small ways helped these families reap big rewards.

"With the extra money that we make through coupon shopping, we've been able to go on vacations that we wouldn't otherwise be able to do, make some home improvements we've been wanting to do in a long time, just the money hasn't been there," explains Avello.

Other ways to save outside the grocery store include changing where you shop. Instead of the mall, try a discounted store.

Many resale shops give you cash up front for your items, allowing you to get more for less.